Being a kind of toad-stool

We had a wonderful playroom session today. I bought some face paint, a couple of weeks ago, after Pelle saw one of his teachers dressed up like a toadstool, her face red with white spots.
Pelle was deeply impressed and wanted to look like her, too. Being busy painting each others face looked a great way to me to start studying our faces more carefully. Important for Pelle, who has a rather flat expression and might have trouble reading what other people say nonverbally.
Today we were going to visit gran, who has a broken ankle and needed some groceries. Before that, I wanted to play with Pelle in his playroom. Where he said he would like to use the facepaint again. As you can see, he did a great job turning me into ….. something red. It felt so good watching him carefully stroking my face with a brush, and being concentrated for so long. He even talked to my nose. But then the best part had yet to come. After taken pictures he said to me: “Mum, do you know why I painted you? Because I think gran would find it funny”. So here you saw me, later in the day, biking to gran with my red mask on, happy as can be. Because my boy contributed a feeling to my mum. A spark of empathy. He lit a fire of joy in me.

One more sweater

Just a short post to show another sweater I made. It's based on the same Ottobre pattern I used before, but I had some really hard times with the hood (again!). I ended up trying 3 times, but none of my alterations worked. So finally I made a kind of collar, and I'm pleased with that. Because I made a mistake while cutting the fabric, I made the sweater a little bit longer by using a sweatshirtfabric.

I used this fabric several times before, but I keeps it's appeal. I still have some for next year. And hope that it will come together a lot easier then.

Picking up the thread again

I haven’t been sewing for a long time. It seems like my desire to make clothes comes in waves, and wintertime is not a good time for me. I often feel like I’m in hibernation for a few months, rather wanting to crawl up on the couch with a book and a blanket. But Pelle really needs some clothes, since the ones I made him this fall are already a bit to small.
To start up again, I made something really simple. Just a plain sweater, made out of a cotton knit blanket I bought at a supermarket. I still have to sew on some twill tape to mask the seems in the cuffs, as he has to wear them curled up for some time. Since the shop where I buy all this stuff was closed, that has to wait till tomorow (I have my sewinglessons there, too).
On newyears eve I made a fleece sweater with a hood. (No fancy party this year. Just a simple but fine evening spent with Mark).




I have ideas for 2 more sweaters, and then will go on for some pants. Will keep you posted on that.

Wishing you a happy newyear

We're going to toast, tonight and wish you all a merry newyear!

Stary, Stary Night

This quilt is made by my mom.

Dear readers,

Thank you all so much for reading this blog.
I wish you a very happy Christmas.

Heartfelt greetings,

Ria

Little Zwarte Piet

The first time Pelle is dressed up! He is ready to help Sinterklaas and gave me 'pepernoten'.
I'm so pleased! Doesn't he look adorable (the picture is a bit yellow because it was evening in our kitchen and he doesn't want me to use a flash) and this is a first step for him to take on a role.
Yesterday, when Sinterklaas came to school, I saw him imitating the real professional Zwarte Pieten, dancing and jumping around. Go boy, go!

As Pelle sees it

A weekly picture, made by my boy. (Often without me noticing him doing it).

His aim was to photograph the spider he made at school (that is: the brown paperbody with the round eyes and coloured legs). But you can also see one of the magazines from Dad.